This villa with its remarkable park was the out-of-town residence of a famous silk merchant of the XVIII century, Mr Giorgio Clerici. It hosts a gallery that displays Contemporary Sacred Art and temporary exhibitions. I am not particularly fond of sacred art but I must admit that the contemporary artists have reinterpreted it in an impressing and unusual way. It is definitely worth a visit.

The villa, its Italian style garden at the front, with neoclassical sculptures, and the huge park at the back, are in the middle of an outskirts area full of grey, modern buildings with no charm. The contrast is striking and in some way underlines the beauty of the complex.

Officially Villa Clerici is not open on Sundays, but due to its acoustic, it is often used by classical music companies for rehearsal on Sunday morning, so anyone can easily get in, linger around and enjoy the sound of the orchestra, all for free. Villa Clerici is also known for its evening concerts, look at the site for the list.

At the moment, during the week, the villa and its gardens can only be visited together with the Contemporary Sacred Art Gallery.

Milan is quite famous for design. Every year there is the Salone del Mobile, a furniture fair where design is one of the main points of focus, especially at the side events (well, I must admit that during these side events alcohol is also a main focus, which is MAYBE one of the reasons why they are so popular even though the objects being displayed make no sense to most of us).

All around town, especially outside the city center, there are lots of small laboratories created by designers specialized in jewellery, wood, homecraft and various items/materials. The main areas where you can find them is Isola, just behind Garibaldi metro station, and the Navigli. If you are in Milan for more than one day, they are definitely worth a visit. The rule is: the more hidden they are, the more chance you have that they are interesting.

MV% Ceramics Design is the atelier and laboratory of Mariavera Chiari, a designer specialised in ceramics that is famous for its award winning coffee cup. You’ll be surprised by how many items can be created with ceramics (houseware, furniture, decorations, children’s games …).

By the way, MV% is walking distance from the Gelateria della Musica, one more reason to go.

P.S. As for all artisans’ labs, you might want to call ahead to be sure it’s open during opening times: work often brings Mariavera outside the lab for new inspirations (and clients)

In front of Parco Solari, a lovely public garden with a covered municipal swimming pool inside, there is this charming coffee-library with a couple of tables outside.

This is one of my favorite places when I go to the Mercato di Papiniano (check the article), the biggest street market in Milan (Via Papiniano, Tue 07:30 – 13:00 & Saturday 07:30 – 17:00).

After the crowd and the noise of the stalls, I love to sit and sip a cup of tea, a vegetable & fruit juice (try the apple, carrot and ginger one!) or a glass of wine surrounded by books. Lunch is also possible, although there are often so many people that it might take some time to be served.

This coffee shop is also a cultural association and hosts lectures and book presentations. It is owned and run by a couple that, bored of working for a bank and an insurance company, decided to create a meeting-place for enjoying the pleasures of life: food, drinks and culture.

La Santeria is hidden in the inside court of an anonymous street of Milan suburbs. You hardly notice it when you pass by, I personally discovered it by chance as I heard some music coming out and saw lot’s of people going down what seemed to be a garage path. When I ventured inside, I discovered a lovely courtyard covered with a wooden floor and decorated with a climbing path.

This place is great in the summer for the aperitivo: there are often dj performances, the atmosphere is lively and easygoing and there are lot’s of people in their 20-30ies that seem to be coming out of a creative agency. It’s not just an impression: on the first floor there is a job-sharing area where designers, web and graphic artists, freelancers rent a desk for some hours, days, weeks or even longer to carry out their projects. During the winter is really cosy: same web and design people but in a less party style atmosphere.

During the day la Santeria is the ideal place to go to when you just want to relax: it’s plenty of newspapers, it’s quiet, the staff is really friendly and, if you want to stop by for lunch, the food is delicious! Take the dish of the day, or the tagliere (a cutting board full of different hams or cheeses or both), the hamburgers or the salads.

At first Milan doesn’t strike as a very historical city in comparison to other Italian cities (i.e. Rome or Florence). But if you take your time and have the patience to look around, you will be surprised at how many corners in Milano take back you in time.

One of those places is the San Cristoforo Church. It is located on the Naviglio Grande canal (I dare to say one of the most beautiful areas of Milan). The church was initially built as a chapel in the 12th century and played an important role throughout the centuries. When you stand at the small village-style square and look at the church facade, you have the feeling that you have escaped away from the loud city. Walking inside, you will realise immediately the building has been standing there since 10 centuries – old icon work, the smell of candles, everything is a reminder of ‘time’.

If you pass by the church on the weekend afternoons, there’s a very big chance you will catch a glimpse of an Italian wedding. Otherwise, you will find locals sitting on the benches at the small church square, licking a delicious ice cream and chit chatting away.

My secret advice – take a walk along the Naviglio Grande in the early evening up to the San Cristoforo church and explore it inside; then grab an amazing pistachio ice cream from the nearby ice cream shop and watch the sun go down at the small pedestrian bridge, just across the church.